Former Déise star Charlie Ware dies

Another link with Waterford’s last All-Ireland winning senior hurling team of 1959 has been severed with the death of Charlie Ware, who gave a lifetime of service to the Erin’s Own club in the city.

He was a member of a well-known family which had its roots in Cork, his uncle Jim having the honour of captaining Waterford to their first All-Ireland title against Dublin in 1948 and his father — also Charlie — a member of the team which lost the 1938 final to the same opposition. ‘Young Charlie,’ as he was known, graduated to the Waterford squad in the late 50s and was right corner-forward on the team which defeated Cork by a goal in the 1959 final in Thurles. En route, they had swamped Tipperary in a memorable semi-final in the Cork Athletic Grounds, winning 9-3 to 3-4 having led 8-2 to 0-0 at half-time.

He filled the same position in the drawn All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, but lost his place for the replay. Several years later, he was part of the panel of players which celebrated victories in the Oireachtas final of 1962 and the National League in 1963.

Back then, rivalry between Erin’s Own and Mount Sion was razor sharp. In 1962, Erin’s Own denied them a 10th successive championship in a replay and it led to Charlie being nominated as Waterford captain.